News

MGMT start countdown

• 9th Feb 2010

The countdown is on.

April 13th marks the release date for MGMT’s long-awaited second album ‘Congratulations’, if the countdown timer on their website is to be believed.

Since the huge success of their debut ‘Oracular Spectacular’ in 2007, the effortlessly cool and much-hyped duo has been busy surfing, recording in both New York and Malibu and having nightmares. Speaking to Spin.com, singer Andrew VanWyngarden stated that the new record is “pretty dark, It’s us trying to deal with all the craziness that's been going on since our last album took off. Sometimes it just doesn't feel natural”.

“It's definitely going to shock people,” he added, “we’ve dropped any sort of irony that was on the first record, and Congratulations feels true to who we really are”.

Amongst the biggest singles from their first album were ‘Kids’, ‘Time to Pretend’ and ‘Electric Feel’, all of which had unprecedented success and became festival anthems worldwide. Oracular Spectular also nudged itself cosily in within the top ten of both the Irish and British charts.

The countdown timer on their site is paired with a webcam clip of waves crashing on a beach. Random you may think, but the beach holds significant meaning and influenced Congratulations heavily.
Vanwyngarden has been quoted as saying he dreamed a lot about surfing while touring their first album but had never gotten into the sport. The new album has a distinct “surf-y vibe” which fuels the entire record, he announced.

Another interesting influence the duo drew upon was the idea of fame and success, notably inspired by Lady Gaga and Kanye West.

A tracklisting has also surfaced, featuring nine songs, some of which they have showcased to audiences during the past year.
'It's Working'
'Song for Dan Treacy'
'Someone's Missing'
'Flash Delirium'
'I Found a Whistle'
'Siberian Breaks'
'Brian Eno'
'Lady Dada's Nightmare'
'Congratulations'

Ben Goldwasser has told NME that the band do not plan to release any singles from the album as of yet. From what the past can tell us, this album is sure to be full of summer festival anthems yet again and we cannot wait to get stuck on repeat with them.